Floor cleaning machines include those that controllably dispense a liquid cleaning solution onto the floor for use in cleaning the floor. Subsequent to its use as part of the cleaning operation, liquid on the floor is recovered by the cleaning machine. The recovered fluid is typically housed in a recovery tank of the cleaning machine. After a certain or desired volume of recovered liquid is received, the recovery tank is emptied of the recovered liquid. With regard to such removal of the recovered liquid, it is commonplace to remove the entire cleaning machine to a location where the recovered liquid can be removed. In some cleaning machines, in emptying the recovered liquid, the recovery tank can be separated from the remaining parts of the cleaning machine and the recovered liquid can be dumped from the recovery tank as it is tipped or turned over. In one type of embodiment that has a removable tank, there are exterior hoses that communicate with the tank that must be detached from the tank before its removal. These exterior hoses include a hose for carrying the recovered liquid to the recovery tank and a vacuum hose used in creating a vacuum for drawing recovered liquid into the recovery tank. In another embodiment, conduits for recovered fluid and a vacuum are separate parts and joined to the side of the recovery tank and are removable therewith.
These prior art types of cleaning machines with removable tanks have certain drawbacks. In that regard, it would be advantageous to provide a cleaning machine with a removable tank in which the number of parts is reduced, the manufacture of the recovery tank is facilitated, while being easily removed from the cleaning machine and also being readily attached to the cleaning machine after the recovered fluid has been emptied from the recovery tank without detachment/attachment of external hoses, and at the same time achieving an aesthetically pleasing appearance.